PDP
By Omowale Anu
Since 2023 the PDP has been bleeding governors like a leaky faucet, and the latest drip is the high‑profile exit of Rivers State’s Siminalayi Fubara, joining a growing club that now includes Osun’s Ademola Adeleke (who’s gone to the Accord Party) and a handful of other former PDP leaders. It’s the kind of political reshuffle that makes you wonder whether the party’s once‑solid foundation is starting to crack under its own weight.
The first wave of 2025 saw Akwa Ibom’s Umo Eno, Delta’s Sheriff Oborevwori, Bayelsa’s Douye Diri and Enugu’s Peter Mbah all swapping the PDP banner for the APC. Their public explanations centered on a desire to tap into President Bola Tinubu’s development agenda, secure better infrastructure funding and, frankly, protect their own political futures in a climate where the ruling party seems to be the safest bet ¹. It wasn’t just about ideology; it was a pragmatic pivot toward the centre of power.
Fubara’s own announcement was a mix of gratitude and blunt pragmatism. After a closed‑door meeting with Tinubu, he told supporters that the PDP had failed to shield him during the state’s recent crisis and that the APC offered the protection he needed to keep Rivers moving forward. His defection means the APC now controls all six states in the South‑South, a striking consolidation that underscores how quickly the political map can change.
Adeleke’s move to the Accord Party adds another twist to the story, showing that not every exit leads straight to the APC. Before him, veterans like Ben Ayade (Cross River), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) and Bello Matawalle (Zamfara) had already made the jump, each citing alignment with the federal government or the need for stability as their motivation. These earlier switches set the stage for the recent exodus and illustrate a longer‑term trend of governors seeking greener pastures beyond the PDP .
The fallout for the PDP is stark: after the latest defections the party is down to just eight sitting governors, a dramatic drop from the eleven it held after the 2023 elections. The remaining PDP strongholds are now Adamawa’s Ahmadu Fintiri, Bauchi’s Bala Mohammed, Plateau’s Caleb Mutfwang, Taraba’s Agbu Kefas, Zamfara’s Dauda Lawal, Oyo’s Seyi Makinde, plus the two who have already left—Fubara and Adeleke—leaving the opposition with a much thinner bench.
What does this mean for Nigeria’s political future? With the APC now commanding 24 states, the ruling party is in a stronger position heading into the 2027 elections, while the PDP faces the tough task of rebuilding its ranks and regaining credibility. Observers see both challenges and opportunities: the PDP could use the defections as a catalyst to reinvent itself, but it will have to work hard to convince voters that it still has the vision and unity to lead the country. Either way, the next few years promise to be a roller‑coaster of alliances, negotiations and, inevitably, more headlines about who’s switching sides next.
